Changing hand fishing reel

ABSTRACT

The fishing reel of the invention includes a line crank winding assembly having an axle in operative communication with the spool of the reel. The spool and the axle are provided with a disctype, slip clutch having manual adjustment means to limit the tension placed on the line. A housing is disposed between the crank winding assembly and the reel. The wall of the crank winding assembly is provided with an eliptical arcuate-shaped ledge adjacent the housing and a hand control means distally disposed above the ledge and threadably carried in the wall of the crank winding assembly. The wall of the housing adjacent the crank winding assembly is provided with an annular ring so that the wall of the housing is recessed. A disc is carried on the ledge between the walls of the crank assembly and the housing. The control means threadably carried by the wall of the crank assembly is normally in the path of the disc. When the disc is adjacent the control means the disc may rotate between the ledge and the annular ring of the housing in response to rotation of the crank winding assembly in one direction. When the crank winding assembly is rotated in a direction opposite, the disc tends to wedge between the ledge and the annular ring thus being operable as a brake. By removing the control means from the path of the disc, the disc may be moved to the side opposite with respect to the control means, thus providing means by which the reel may be selectively operated by persons having right and left hand dominant dexterity without disassembly of the reel of this invention.

United States Patent [191 Jones [52] US. Cl. ..242/2l9, 242/845 R [51]Int. Cl. ..A01k89/00 [58] Field of Search ....242/84.51 R, 84.5 R, 99,212,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,591,107 7/1971 Ferguson..242/2l9 3,478,978 11/1969 Nurmse 3,572,607 3/1971 Wilson ..242/2l92,180,566 1l/1939 Thompson ..242/84.51 R

Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor Attorney-John W. Kraft [5 7] ABSTRACTThe fishing reel of the invention includes a line crank winding assemblyhaving an axle in operative communication with the spool of the reel.The spool and the axle are provided with a disc-type, slip clutch having51 Jan. 2, 1973 manual adjustment means to limit the tension placed onthe line. A housing is disposed between the crank winding assembly andthe reel. The wall of the crank winding assembly is provided with aneliptical arcuateshaped ledge adjacent the housing and a hand controlmeans distally disposed above the ledge and threadably carried in thewall of the crank winding assembly. The wall of the housing adjacent thecrank windingassembly is provided with an annular ring so that the wallof the housing is recessed. A disc is carried on the ledge between thewalls of the crank assembly and the housing. The control meansthreadably carried by the wall of the crank assembly is normally in thepath of the disc. When the disc is adjacent the control means the discmay rotate between the ledge and the annular ring of the housing inresponse to rotation of the crank winding assembly in one direction.When the crank winding assembly is rotated in a direction opposite, thedisc tends to wedge between the ledge and the annular ring thus beingoperable as a brake. By removing the control means from the path of thedisc, the disc may be moved to the side opposite with respect to thecontrol means, thus providing means by which the reel may be selectivelyoperated by persons having right and left hand dominant dexteritywithout disassembly of the reel of this invention.

3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED N 2 I973 3. 708. l 3 7 sum 1 BF 2CYRIL W. JONES INVENTOR- CHANGING HAND FISHING REEL FIELD OF INVENTIONThis invention relates to fishing reels and more particularly to fishingreels commonly referred to as cast ing and fly type reels adapted to beoperated selectively either by persons having right or left handdominant dexterity. 1

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART:

Casting and fly type reels known in the prior art use and employgear-like ratchet control means suitably fastened to the hub, axle orcore of the reel operating mechanism. Since such means are of smalldiameters, substantially strong material must be used to fabricate suchparts and a degree of manual strength and agility is required in theiruse. Usually such structures are complex and are difficult to maintainexcept by those especially skilled in the art of manufacturing andassembling fishing reels.

Accordingly, it is an extremely important object of this invention toprovide a fishing reel having few operating parts which may easily andreadily be assembled and disassembled for maintenance and cleaning bynovices to the art.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a fishing reel meansoperable to selectively change the operating mechanism to right or lefthand operation.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the descriptionfollowing, it being understood that modifications may be made withoutaffecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

Generally, the fishing reel of the invention includes a line crankwinding assembly having an axle in operative communication with a reel.The reel and the axle are provided with a slip clutch arrangementcommonly referred to in the art as a star drag. A housing is disposedbetween the crank winding assembly and the reel. The wall of the crankwinding assembly is provided with an eliptical arcuate-shaped ledgeadjacent the housing and a hand control means distally disposed abovethe ledge and threadably carried in the wall of the crank windingassembly. The wall of the housing adjacent the crank winding assembly isprovided with an annular ring so that the wall of the housing isrecessed. A disc is carried on the ledge between the walls of the crankassembly and the housing. The control means threadably carried by thewall of the crank assembly is normally in the path of the disc. When thedisc is adjacent the control means the disc may rotate between the ledgeand the annular ring of the housing in response to rotation of the crankwinding assembly in one direction. When the crank winding assembly isrotated in a direction opposite, the disc tends to wedge between theledge and the annular ring thus being operable as a brake. By removingthe control means from the path of the disc, the disc may be moved tothe side opposite with respectto the control means, thus providing meansby which the reel may be selectively operated by persons having rightand left hand dominant dexterity without disassembly of the reel of thisinvention.

A-more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be .had from thedetailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connectionwith the drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of the fishing reel of the presentinvention showing to advantage the crank winding assembly and the handcontrol means.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the reel of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the side opposite the FIG. 1showing the brake-drag control.

FIG. 4 is an exploded side elevational view of the reel of thisinvention showing to advantage the crank winding assembly including thehand control means and disc, the reel housing and the line reelassembly.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the crank winding assembly asviewed from the side opposite FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the reel housing having the linereel assembly removed. v

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the reel housing as viewed from theside opposite FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a typical reel housing internal stop washermember.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a typical crank winding drag external washermember.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to the FIGS. 1, 2,and 3, the fishing reel of the present invention is shown to advantageand identified generally by the numeral 10. The reel 10 includes a reelhousing 11, a line drag control knob 12, reel line assembly or spool 13,a line crank winding assembly 14 having a handle 15, a pole mountingbase 16, and a hand control means 17. The housing 11 is provided with anannular reel mounting frame 18 distally disposed from an upstanding wallportion 19. Although the frame 18 is here shown carried by amultiplicity of outwardly projecting support arms 20 disposed betweenthe wall 19 and the annular frame 18, it is to be understood that thewall 19 and the frame 18 may comprise an integral housing having anexitway or opening through which a fishing line may pass from the reelline assembly 13. The crank winding assembly 14 is journaled forrotation through the frame 18, and in the reel assembly 13. The crankwinding assembly 14 is provided with a reel axle portion 21 which is inoperative communication with the hub assembly 22 and a commonly knownstar drag assembly 23 hereinafter later described.

Referring now to the FIGS. 4, 5 6, and 7, the operating assemblies ofthe invention are shown to advantage. The line crank winding assembly 14comprises an upstanding wall 24, a hand control ledge 25, an outwardlyprojecting tubular axle portion 21 having a pair of opposing slots 26and a crank'handle 15. A hand control disc 27 is carried on the ledge 25and is normally disposed between the upstanding wall 24 of the linecrank winding assembly 14 and the wall 19 of the reel housing 11. Theledge is an eliptically arcuate-shaped portion distally disposed on theportion of the wall 24 adjacent the wall 19. The wall 19 of the reelhousing 11 includes an annular ring 28 about the peripheral terminaledge of the wall 19 so that the wall 19 is recessed. Hence the disc 27is carried between the ledge 25 and the annular ring 28. The handcontrol means 17 as here disclosed is a screw threadably carried in thewall 24 distally above the ledge 25 and in the path of the disc 27. Inoperation the disc 27 may freely rotate between the annular ring 28, thereel housing 11, and the ledge 25 when the disc 27 is adjacent the handcontrol means 17 in response to rotation of the line crank windingassembly 14. When the line crank winding assembly 14 is rotated in adirection opposite tending to move the disc 27 away from the handcontrol means 17, the disc 27 tends to become wedged between theoutermost terminal end of the ledge 25 of the crank winding assembly 14and the annular ring 28 of the wall 19 of the housing 11. Hence, thedisc 11 tends to act as a brake means.

The FIG. shows to advantage the disc 27 positioned on the ledge 25 for aleft hand forward operation, as the reel would be operated by a personhaving dominant left hand dexterity. Particular novelty taught by thestructure disclosed here is that by loosening the screw 17 so that it isout of the path of disc 27 and rotating the line crank winding assembly14 the disc tends to be moved on the ledge 25 past the control means 17,then tightening the screw control means 17 in the wall 24 and into thepath of the disc 27 the reel may be forwardly operated in a directionopposite by a person of dominant right hand dexterity withoutdisassembly of the reel 10. It is to be understood that the reel wouldthen be mounted on a pole at 180 to that shown in the FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows to advantage the reel housing 11 with the reel removed asviewed from the side normally adjacent the reel 13. In practice it hasbeen found to advantage to provide a bearing 29 suitably mounted in thecentermost portion of the wall 19 of the housing 11 to carry the reelaxle portion 21.

Referring again to the FIG. 4, the reel line assembly 13 is shown toadvantage including a cross sectional portion taken substantially alongthe lines 4-4 of the FIG. 7 hereinafter later described. The reelassembly 13 comprises a pair of upstanding walls 30 and 31 having a hubportion 32 disposed therebetween. The hub portion 32 is provided with arecess portion 33 operable to be carried on the outermost terminal edgeof the bearing 29, and a drag receiving portion 34 shown to advantage inthe FIG. 7. The drag receiving portion 34 is provided with a pair ofopposing slots 35 and 36. The FIG. 4 shows to advantage a multiplicityof internal washer-like members 37 and external washer-like members 38alternately disposed in the portion 34 of the hub 32. The members 37 and38 are shown drawn to a larger scale in the FIGS. 8 and 9. Asubstantially T- shaped bolt 39 adapted to be received in the slots 26of the reel axle portion 21 carries the members 37 and 38. A deformedresilient spring washer 40 is carried on the bolt 39 adjacent thetransverse portion of the bolt 39. The members 37 are retained in theportion 34 engaging the outwardly projecting prongs 41 and 42 providedon the members 37 in the respective slots 35 and 36 of the portion 34 ofthe reel 13. The members 38 are retained in engagement with respectiveslots 26 of the portion 21 by inwardly projecting prongs 43 and 44 ofthe members 38. Hence, the members 38 tend to move with the portion 21while the members 37 tend to move with the reel 13. The control knob 12is in communication with the wall 31 of the reel 13 and is threadablytfi li) 3J9. t aws- 3 nflia?0llll e%li3 be moved in opposing directions,thereby creating drag upon the reel 13 by tending to frictionallyinhibit opposing movement of the reel 13 from the position of the crankassembly 14 which is normally locked from reverse movement by the disc27 as herein earlier described. Such drag control means is commonlyknown in the art as a star drag.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies theconcepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes thevarious objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated andwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changescould be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive conceptsand principles embodied therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope ofthe invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appendedclaims.

Iclaim:

1. A changing hand fishing reel comprising a spool, a housing, and acrank winding assembly, said spool including a pair of opposingupstanding walls having a substantially tubular hub portion disposedtherebetween, said housing including an upstanding wall and an annularring spaced apart by a body portion, said body portion including anexitway through which a fishing line carried by said spool may pass,said upstanding wall having an outwardly projecting annular ringsuitably fastened to the terminal edge of the wall on the side oppositesaid body portion, said crank winding assembly comprising an upstandingwall, an outwardly projecting shaft suitably fastened to one side ofsaid winding assembly wall, an eliptically shaped arcuate ledge distallydisposed radially outward of said shaft, a disc carried on said ledgebetween said crank winding assembly wall and said housing wall, handcontrol means normally carried by said crank winding assembly wall beingdisposed distally radially outward of the centermost portion of saidledge in the path of said disc, said shaft being normally in operativecommunication with said spool, means connecting said shaft to saidspool, said shaft and said spool being journaled for rotation in saidhousing, said crank winding assembly including a crank handle mounteddistally from the terminal edge on the side opposite said shaft of saidwall, said disc being operable to rotate on said ledge in response torotation in one direction of said crank winding assembly and to wedgebetween said ledge of said crank winding assembly and said annular ringof said housing wall in response to rotation in the direction oppositeof said crank winding assembly, said hand control means being operableto permit said disc to be selectively moved from one side of saidcontrol means to the side opposite to permit operation of the reel forpersons having right and left hand dominant dexterity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said hand control means comprises abolt threadably carried in said crank winding assembly wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 including a substantially cylindricaldisc-like projecting portion in the centermost portion of said wall ofsaid housing adapted to operatively engage said hub of said spool.

1. A changing hand fishing reel comprising a spool, a housing, and acrank winding assembly, said spool including a pair of opposingupstanding walls having a substantially tubular hub portion disposedtherebetween, said housing including an upstanding wall and an annularring spaced apart by a body portion, said body portion including anexitway through which a fishing line carried by said spool may pass,said upstanding wall having an outwardly projecting annular ringsuitably fastened to the terminal edge of the wall on the side oppositesaid body portion, said crank winding assembly comprising an upstandingwall, an outwardly projecting shaft suitably fastened to one side ofsaid winding assembly wall, an eliptically shaped arcuate ledge distallydisposed radially outward of said shaft, a disc carried on said ledgebetween said crank winding assembly wall and said housing wall, handcontrol means normally carried by said crank winding assembly wall beingdisposed distally radially outward of the centermost portion of saidledge in the path of said disc, said shaft being normally in operativecommunication with said spool, means connecting said shaft to saidspool, said shaft and said spool being journaled for rotation in saidhousing, said crank winding assembly including a crank handle mounteddistally from the terminal edge on the side opposite said shaft of saidwall, said disc being operable to rotate on said ledge in response torotation in one direction of said crank winding assembly and to wedgebetween said ledge of said crank winding assembly and said annular ringof said housing wall in response to rotation in the direction oppositeof said crank winding assembly, said hand control means being operableto permit said disc to be selectively moved from one side of saidcontrol means to the side opposite to permit operation of the reel forpersons having right and left hand dominant dexterity.
 2. The apparatusof claim 1 in which said hand control means comprises a bolt threadablycarried in said crank winding assembly wall.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2including a substantially cylindrical disc-like projecting portion inthe centermost portion of said wall of said housing adapted tooperatively engage said hub of said spool.